Apparatus for distribution of volatile materials



March24,1931. A 'T.S 1,797,680

APPARATUS FOR DTSTRTBUTTON OF VOLATILE MATERIALS Filed Nov 1 1927 WWW,

Patented Mar. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERIC AUGUSTUS EUSTIS. OF MILTON,

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO VIRGINIA FRUIT FUMIGATING COMPANY, OF WEST NORFOLK, VIRGIN IA, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTION OF VOLATILE MATERIALS Application filed November 1, 1927. Serial No. 230,367.

This invention relates to apparatus for the controlled and uniform distribution of volatile materials throughout an enclosed, irregularly disposed volume of a fluid medium such as air.

It is a common experience in the industrial arts to encounter the problem of effecting the uniform admixture of two or more fluid substances, which may be either liquid or eons or both. Obviously there are many ways in which this may be accomplished, as by agitating the mixture with suflicient volume or for a prolonged period of time and such is the basis of the usual and customary modes of procedure.

It is also well known that there are innumerable instances in which two or more fluids (either liquid or gaseous) may remain segregated even though they are in free contact and for a long period of time. It is also to be observed that in some instances, even when such fluids are appreciably but not thoroughly mixed, they manifest a decided tendency to separate again into the original components. This is more especially the case when the concentration of one or another of the gases is near its dew point or where a liquid exhibits a high surface tension. Segregation of this sort may also occur or persist upon flowing two or more of the fluids together in the form of an uninterrupted stream, manifesting itself, for example, in the formation of segregated strata.

In order to overcome such inhibitions to the complete mutual diffusion of two liquids it is necessary to impart a more or less violent agitation to their component particles.

In practical operations this ordinarily is facilitated by relatively large, open spaces or volumes in the mixing apparatus. and such spaces may usually be readily and con veniently provided.

In some instances where this problem is encountered, however, such large spaces are not available for the mixing operation, although local segregation must nevertheless be scrupulously avoided and a mutual diffusion of the fluids must be so accomplished as to maintain itself thereafter throughout all parts of the volume under treatment.

For example, it has recently been found that various food products such as fruits and more especially grapes, may be effectively purified and preserved for human consumption by treating with relatively dilute concentrations of chemically active gases. In such procedure it is obvious that local concentrations of the reagent are in themselves objectionable, while any possibility of such concentrations as might bring about condensation of the reagent introduce an element of danger which, if not effectively safeguarded against', would make such treatments too precarious to employ in spite of this certain and generally acknowledged ad vantage.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and means for effecting the diffusion of a volatilizable substance into a fluid (such as an enclosed volume of air) and the uniform distribution of the substance therethrough. It is a further and more specific object of the invention to accomplish this result where the volume to be treatedis irregularly disposed and of varying sizes and shapes,as for example throughout the air spaces around and between materials packed for storage, in vessels or cars for transportation or in individual containers. 1 i

Briefly described, the procedure of the invention includes vaporizing the reagent, if necessary, directing the resulting gas into the form of a stream, conducting the stream to and into an intermediate chamber, aspirating a portion of the gas from the main volume with which the volatilized reagent gas is to be mixed, into the gas stream, and conducting the combined stream of gases into a portion of the gaseous space to be treated, preferably at a point remote from that at which the withdrawal of the fluid for introduction into the gas stream takes place.

A typical application of the invention is illustrated in the treatment of goods packed in closed chambers (as in storage or in cars for transportation) with a given amount or concentration of gaseous reagent which in excessive concentrations or amounts may be harmful to the goods or to the containers or to persons who may subsequently open and handle or use the goods. A representative instance of these conditions is presented in the treatment of fruits with dilutedsulfur dioxide which is found to have a marked preservative efi'ect thereon. Too great a local concentration is deleterious to the fruit and too great an amount is positively harmful' while an insuificient concentration is without the desired effect. Moreover, even a temporary local concentration is to be avoided, since the fruit tends to adsorb the gas and to retain it by absorption in solution after the initial concentration has been diluted or removed out of contact therewith. This .is especially the case where any part of the skin is broken so as to expose the fruit juice which-is exceedingly absorptive with respect to the gaseous reagent.

A specific adaptation of the invention will be described in the treatment of grapes, as packed and ready for shipment in cars, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of a box car, as usually packed, with the apparatus disposed therein; parts of the car being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a detailed view of the apparatus, with parts broken away and shown in cross section;

Fig. 3 shows a slight modification of the arrangement illustrated by Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus includes a cylindrical (in the present instance compressed or liquefied sulfur dioxide container 1 for the supply of gas to be distribu; ted) surrounded by a water bath 2, heated by a stove 3, or other convenient heating device, and provided with flexible tubes 4 leading to aspirating nozzles 5 which are suitably dis posed in the open space 6 above the boxes 7 filled with grapes or the like, which are stacked ready for shipment in the box car 8.

The container 1, in the case of using liquefied sulfur dioxide consists of a thick-walled cylinder with one or more outlets 9 at the top, each provided with a stop cook 11. A pressure gauge 12,,and a control valve 13 leading to the tube 4'. The tube 4 may be connected by a T-union 10 to two or more branch tubes 4, 4", at the ends of which are attached the aspirator nozzles 5 and 5' (not shown). Each of the latter (Fig. 2) consists of a perforate, generally conical portion 14, expanding towards the cylindrical portion 15 to which it is attached. The conical portion of the nozzle contains successive conical apertures (or conical hoods with central apertures therein) 16, 17, 18, directed toward the cvlindrical portion 19'and having spaces 16', 17', 18 therebetween which are open at their peripheries to admit the surrounding fiuid medium thereinto. The cylindrical portion has an unobstructed outlet at 20. The nozzle is provided with the staple 21 and cord 22 by which it is temporarily attached to the car roof.

As shown in Fig. 3, the nozzle 5 may be inserted merely into the doorway of the car or into a false door 23 with a hole in it 24, the cylindrical part 20 entering the car, while the spaces 16, 17,18 open into the outer air,-or the entire nozzle being introduced into the car as desired. This adaptation of the apparatus may be used to advantage when the container can advantageously be opened at the top and an outlet for contained gas provided, as through the ventilator 23. The contents are then subjected to a stream of dilute gas which sweeps out of the container the gas originally contained therein.

In operation the container 1 (filled with sulfur dioxide in the usual manner) is placed in the water bath 2 which is filled with water. The container may advantageously be raised from the bottom of the bath 2 by supports, if desired, to efl'ect more uniform transfer of heat. The heater 3 is then started which gradually heats the contents of the cylinder and causes the same to volatilize and create an accumulation of gas at the top of the cylinder, under an appreciable pressure though without effecting any substantial increase of term perature. It is obvious that with more rapid heating a more rapid volatilization of the liquid will be produced and an increased temperature may be attained, but in the present exemplification of the process it is not desirable to appreciably pre-heat the vaporized sulfur dioxide. The nozzles 5, 5' are preferably, placed in the upper part of the car near each end and so attached (at or near the top) that they may be readily removed. For example, they may be suspended from the roof of the car by a staple 21 and cord 22. The door of the car is then closed except for an aperture suificient to permit the tube 4 to pass through. Or, as in the modification shown in Fig. 3, the door of the car is closed by a temporary door 23 and the nozzle inserted through the hole 24, the ventilator 25 being opened to permit escape of gas or air contained therein.

When a sufiicient pressure has been developed in the gas cylinder as indicated by the pressure gauge 12, (for example as high as 60 lbs. per square inch) the valve 13' is opened thereby permitting the exit of a stream of the sulfur dioxide gas into tube 4, and through tubes 4' 4" to the aspirating nozzle 5. Upon entering the nozzle through the conical aperture 16 the velocity of the stream is appreciably increased. Accordingly it passes directly across the intervening space 16 and through the conical aperture 17 (which is appreciably larger than 16) thence across space 17 andthrough conical aperture 18 (which is again larger) from which it emerges into the cylindrical portion 19 .of

the nozzle and leaves from the open end 20 into the air space of the car.

. In this manner it is to be noted that the gaseous stream contacts tangentially with the air contained in the space 16 and draws a considerable volume of air along with it in the form of a surrounding sheath or circular zone of air and mixed air and sulfur dioxide. The next aperture 17, being larger than the first and conical in shape receives and directs the combined stream of sulfur dioxide, air, and air sulfur dioxide mixture therethrough. Upon passing through the second aperture the components of the stream are further mingled and also directed toward the third conical aperture 18. In traversing the intervening space 17 the stream frictionally accumulates more of the surrounding air and carries it through aperture 18 into the cylinder. Beyond the aperture, 18 and 18 there may be provided openings in the periphery of the cylindrical portion, whereby further introduction of air may be effected. The air-sulfur dioxide mixture now passes through the cylindrical tube and is intimately commingled by internal friction and eddy currents as well as by frictional resistance with the walls of the tube, and finally emerges (at 20) in the conditions of a relatively uniform gaseous mixture with respect to distribution of the components of which it is composed and the state of physical aggregation in which they are severally present.

The gaseous mixture is relatively dilute with respect to the sulfur dioxide component and hence not characterized by harmful effects upon even those grapes in the im mediate vicinity against which the stream may directly impinge. On the other hand, on account of the density of sulfur dioxide the mixture is of somewhat greater specific gravity than the air and consequently tends to settle by gravity as well as under the direct impetus of the gaseous stream behind it.

Consequently the mixture passes downwardly through the interstices between the grapes as well as between the boxesin which they are packed, displacing and mixing with the air already contained in such spaces. Concurrently, the air introduced into the gas stream through air spaces 16, 17 18 is replaced by air in the top of the car which draws air up from the spaces around the sides of the car and this still further assists the downward penetration of the gas mixture.

At the same time no appreciable loss of sul-' fur dioxide occurs through the doorway of the car and the air in the car circulates as a closed system.

Upon completion of the treatment, which may be readily judged and controlled from a knowledge of the volume of the car the pressure and the time of treatment, or by the loss in weight of the container, the valves 12 are closed. The nozzles 5, 5' are dislodged from the cord and staple fastenings which are broken by jerking the tubes 4 4 and the latter are thereupon removed from the car. The car is then closed and sealed for shipment, and the grapes are found to be sub stantially preserved for a week or longer, even under severe conditions of transit without undergo-ing the usual forms of deterioration such as mold, decay, softening, etc. If a longer period is required for transportation the car may be again treated in this manher if it should be deemed necessary.

It is to be especially noted that, in the particular adaptation of the method to the treatment of fruits with sulfur dioxide, if any of the fruit is moist from sweating or from the deposit of dew or mere adsorption of water vapor on its surface, and especially if any of the fruit is bruised in such manner as to expose the interior which is moist with the usual fruit j uices, such areas are extremely absorptive of sulfur dioxide. Consequently, if such surfaces are exposed to high concentrations of sulfur dioxide, even though it be for but a few minutes only. they will absorb an excessive quantity of the sulfur dioxide and make the fruit undesirable by bleaching, the color in some cases make it subject to a disagreeable odor or taste.

\Vhen the influx of sulfur dioxide is uniformly distributed through a relatively larger volume of air, however, by the operation of the apparatus just described, such concentrations do not occur "and hence there is no danger of any portion of the fruit being overtreated. Moreover, the already partially diluted gas diffuses more readily with the air than a concentrated or pure gas is susceptible of doing and manifests a ready penetrability of the air with which it mixes and which it partially displaces from both the interstitial spaces and from the exposed surfaces of the fruit. Furthermore, after being thus mingled and disseminated throughout the voids it does not tend to segregate from the air nor to concentrate or condense upon adjacent surfaces.

The adaptation of the invention to the treatment of grapes has been described as a preferred and representative instance of its practical application. However, it is to be understood that various modifications of the same maybe made and that it may be employed for innumerable specific purposes, ac-.

air surrounding the same, with a volatile reagent, comprising a chamber for the material to be treated, a container for holding a supply of the volatile reagent under pressure, means for volatilizing the reagent, a pipe for conducting a stream of the volatilized reagent into the chamber, and means for introducing air from outside of the chamber into said stream.

2. Apparatus for the treatment of fruit or like material with a volatile reagent, comprising, a container for holding a supply of the volatile reagent, means for Volatilizing the reagent, a chamber for the reception of the material to be treated with interstitial volumes of air at substantially atmospheric pressure between and surrounding said material, an opening into the chamber, an outlet from the chamber, and 111821118 for introducing a stream of reagent {,as and air from outside of the chamber into the chamber through said opening.

3. Apparatus for the treatment of fruit or like material with a volatile reagent, comprising a container for holding, a supply of sulfur dioxide, means for volatilizing the reagent, a chamber for the reception of the material to be treated with interstitial volumes of air at substantially atmospheric pressure between and surrounding said material, an opening near the bottom of the chamber, an outlet near the top of the chamber, and means such as an aspirator nozzle for introducing a stream of sulfur dioxide gas mixed with aspirated air from outside of the chamber into the chamber through said opening.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts this 26th day of October, 1927.

FREDERIC AUGUSTUS EUSTIS. 

